iOS 12 GM Almost Here. How You Can Prepare Your iPhone, iPad For It

Apple’s Gather Round event will take place on September 12 at the tech giant’s Cupertino campus. The full-fledged rollout of the iOS 12 software will take place days after the iPhone launch event. However, the iOS 12 Gold Master update could be pushed out on Sept.12 itself, if past is any indication. Apple has traditionally released the Gold Master build on the same day it unveils new iPhones. If you want to be among the first to download and try out the iOS 12 GM, you should start preparing your device for it.

What is the Gold Master build?

All the focus on Sept.12 will be on the new iPhones, Apple Watch, and other devices, but some people are eagerly looking for the iOS 12 GM rollout. A Gold Master build is not intended for the public. It is the final build of software for developers and public beta testers. The iOS 12 GM will give Apple a chance to identify and fix any last minute bugs before rolling out iOS 12 to the general public.

Most of the bugs identified during almost three months of beta testing will have been fixed in the iOS 12 GM, so it should be a stable release. If Apple or testers identify a bug, the tech giant could quickly release a GM 2 or go straight ahead to the final build.

Here’s how you can prepare your device for the iOS 12 GM

The first step is to check if your device is compatible with Apple’s latest and greatest software. There’s no point worrying about the Gold Master build if your device won’t support it. The new software will support all the devices running iOS 11. Here’s the complete list of iPhones, iPads, and iPods supported by iOS 12:

iPhone X

iPhone 8/8 Plus

iPhone 7/7 Plus

iPhone 6S/6S Plus

iPhone 6/6 Plus

iPhone SE

iPhone 5S

1st and 2nd-gen 12.9-inch iPad Pro

10.5-inch iPad Pro

9.7-inch iPad Pro

iPad 6

iPad 5

iPad Air and Air 2

iPad Mini 2, 3, 4

6th-gen iPod Touch

Back up your files

Now that you are sure your device is compatible with the iOS 12, it’s time to take a full backup of your iPhone or iPad using iCloud or iTunes. It’s an important step because you wouldn’t want to lose your data in case something goes wrong or if you want to do a clean install.

Here’s how to back up data using iTunes:

Connect your device to a Mac or PC

Launch iTunes and click on the device’s icon from the top-left menu

Go to Backups > This Computer > Backup Now

Here’s how you can take an iCloud backup:

Connect your iPhone or iPad to a WiFi network

Open the Settings app

Tap on your photo/name at the top

Go to iCloud > iCloud Backup and then tap on Back up now

Stay connected to the WiFi network until the process is completed.

Put everything in place that you need

Before you can install the iOS 12 GM, you are going to need a few things. You’ll need at least 4GB of free storage space on your device. The iOS 12 GM will be only about 2.5GB in size, but the installation is unlikely to go through if the device doesn’t have another GB or two of free storage. So, clean up the files you don’t need.

Also, make sure you have installed the latest version of iTunes on your Mac or PC. If you haven’t installed iTunes on your computer, head over to Apple.com/itunes to get it. You’ll also need a Lightning cable to connect your iOS device to your computer.

Sign up for Apple’s public beta program

If you are reading this guide, there is a good chance you are not a developer or a public beta tester who has the iOS 12 beta already installed on their device. If you are a developer who hasn’t been part of Apple’s beta program, you have a sign up for Apple’s Developer Program that costs $99 per year. Alternatively, you can sign up for Apple’s public Beta Software Program to receive the iOS 12 GM when it is rolled out.

To sign up for the public beta program, fire up the Safari browser on your iOS device and head over to this link. Now hit the Signup button and login using your Apple ID and password. Next, you’ll have to agree to the terms & conditions, and then you’ll see a Guide to Public Betas on the screen. Select the iOS tab, go to the Get Started section, and tap Enrol your iOS device. Then you have to install the iOS 12 Beta Software Profile and restart the device.

Now all you have to do is wait for Apple to release the iOS 12 GM on Wednesday, September 12.

The iOS 12 brings a bunch of new features and performance improvements including Memojis, Siri shortcuts, better search and sharing for photos, a revamped Stocks app, Screen Time, and much more.

Author: Vikas ShuklaAlthough he has a background in finance and holds an MBA, Vikas Shukla is a technology reporter. He has a strong interest in gadgets, gizmos, and science. He writes regularly on these topics. - He can be contacted by email at vshukla@valuewalk.com